The Future of Overland Travel?
 

Curious to gauge the opinion of the collective about where the future, long term, is for the internal combustion engine and overland travel.

As the legislative noose tightens around neck of diesel engines in the developed world, how will this trickle through globally? Will diesel still be the go to fuel in 15-20 years time for the independent traveller ? On an RtW trip, will cities become inaccessible without hybrid drivetrains or will classic exemptions see folk driving SIII and HJ60s?

The Future of Overland Travel?
 

I can tell you that here in Honduras it'll be a century unless the country is absorbed by a some continental mega-country. Same goes for Nicaragua, Guate and Mexico. The infrastructure doesn't exist and things are getting worse, not better, in these parts.

Agree with 31. Predictions 20 years into the future are seldom correct or close. In 1998 it would have been impossible to know that the US would have a black president, that Ford would no longer be making cars, that you would be considered old fashioned because you still had a land line, that electric cars and motorcycles are being discussed as the next new thing, that you could watch a movie while being in an moving car. Enjoy what you have today because you may not have a tomorrow.

The OP asks about diesel, not petrol. We're in the Four Wheels branch of the HUBB, where (maybe) diesel availability is important. For the majority of HUBB users--who travel by motorbike, not giant diesel trucks--not so much.

From my personal perch in the US of A, it doesn't really look like either form of fossil fuel is likely to go extinct within the next couple of decades--too much personal and business investment, and too much dedicated infrastructure. The people building multi-billion dollar pipelines and offshore drilling rigs are doing so because they think there's money to be made far into the future. I'm inclined to suspect they're correct, even when I don't favor their means of doing so.

Mark

Diesel is a bit overrated.

There are already enough issues if you take the newest Euro 6 diesel and fill up with poor diesel.

Yeah an old diesel is nice for overlanding but they are dying out. Or just to old for people to choose them.

Petrol is fine, there is no real need for diesel.

By the way, there was a Swiss couple who went through Central Asia in a f...... Tesla Model S !

It will be fine.

Yes. And Dutch students went RTW on a custom electrical motorcycle. A Belgian girl went Brussels to Istanbul and back on a Zero electrical motorcycle. It's all possible, you just need to adapt your expectations and pace.

I have an old Land Rover with a 200 tdi diesel. If someone develops a bolt-in crate engine that replaces diesel/petrol engines and gives similar performance and range for a reasonable amount of money, I might go for it.

Unless you are actually travelling outside N. America, the EU or Australia, for real. Then an "old diesel" or Euro 3 or earlier is actually essential, the alternative sometime being low octane petrol that can ruin a modern engine. And/or can rapidly deplete one's bank account, example being petrol powered Soviet trucks that get 1.7km/L (4mi/US gal) as compared to 9 mi/US gal in Euro 3 quasi modern diesel that can still use high sulfur diesel.

For me the big trucks already consume a lot. On the big trucks I agree with you.

I have had a Landcruiser and now a 4x4 Hiace, both the simple old diesels. I love there simplicity.
However Im not a huge fan of the engine noise, even after sound proofing.
I think the next time I would buy something on petrol or LPG (extra range). This makes it more practical in West Europe too with all the zones.

Hell I would even think of a hybrid SUV, like a Lexus RX450h. Sure no real 4x4 but it is automatic and has frontwheel drive with electric motors on the rear wheels. Plenty of grip, fuel efficiënt and it will be one of the most comfortable vehicles.

I saw this thread of the guys who went to Africa with relatively modern petrol Jeeps. They did Africa North to South over West side, and they could get Euro95.
I guess a second fuel tank would be nice to ensure you reach the next place / big city
Because youre not going to find euro95 in the middle of nowhere.

By the way, there was this British guy in a diesel van, he drove to India only on give away used vegatable oil. So the possibilities are endless :P

Yeah but he needed an engine rebuild in New Delhi because the veg oil caused his lube oil to literally turn into to gel and and he didn’t change it.

Hahaha okay it sounds like you could expect such a thing with that kind of use.
Anyway, I meant it more like what is possible.

Writing you from Uzbekistan where there is little diesel :)
Got some GPS coordinates and was able to find some.

Interesting set of replies, using petrol wasn't something I'd considered although outside the big SUV range not sure i've seen many vehicles(UK based), that give proper 4wd and the sort of load capacity that is preferable.

Equally many modern petrol engines aren't any better on low grade fuel than a modern CRD diesel. Probably take the view of going with an Euro 4/5 diesel extra cab pick up and just see where fuel globally ends up. Suspect high sulfur issues will reduce(marine users won't be able to use this shortly so its market is diminishing).

Well, for pickups, you usually have a petrol choice, usually with same load rating (same chassis). Although petrol versions are a bit hard to find, they are there. There are many occasions where you get more power as well.
Or you could look at US models, which have big simple petrol versions. Could be a Toyota Tundra as well.

Having something on petrol and CNG would work quite nicely as well in some continents (not in Africa). But then you want a full tank of petrol and full tank of CNG, anything else would not do. LPG is not so supported globally.

For myself, I'm done with the old diesels because they are noisy, and the new ones can't take the bad fuel. I'm into 4wd vans, so there are options. Although a bit hard to find, same like petrol pickups. But I'm looking forward to driving something that has plenty of power, so I don't have to drive slow on a steep highway, or have to skip that big sand dune because I just don't have the power :P Not really a problem for overlanding in general.

The future is now...


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